E
asked
Kate Quinn:
Hello. I adore your writing style- your books are truly breaths of fresh air in a genre that came sometimes be quite plodding or stale. I've read your books over and over, and in this vein wanted to ask you if you can recommend any similar historical fiction authors? Obviously, no two authors are alike, but I figured you might know of similar ones with that special literary *spark* that you have.
Kate Quinn
What a lovely compliment! Delighted you enjoy my writing. As far as books to recommend, well, I love that question.
A good comprehensive (if you haven't read it) is my Pompeii release of a month ago, "A Day of Fire" - it was co-written with five other authors as a series of interlinked novellas around the last days of Pompeii, so it serves as a good introduction to their styles to see if you want to look up the other things they've written. Ben Kane writes ancient Roman blood-and-battle books; Stephanie Dray has a trilogy on Cleopatra's daughter; Vicky Alvear Shecter has several wonderful YA HF novels; E. Knight has two Tudor novels; Sophie Perinot has a novel of medieval France and England. These authors are all friends, but I can recommend their work without hesitation, or I wouldn't have partnered up with them. Try "A Day of Fire," and it should tell you if their style appeals to you.
As for the authors I do NOT know who I find inspiring, I'd start with Judith Merkle Riley - she was my idol as far as being able to make historical fiction funny, dramatic, action-packed, and romantic. She has six or seven books, all wonderful. My favorite is probably "The Oracle Glass."
Elizabeth Loupas is one of the best currently-writing HF novelists out there right now; three books and counting (two on Renaissance Italy, one with Mary Queen of Scots). All superb.
If you like historical mysteries, the Fiona Buckley series around Elizabethan female sleuth Ursula Blanchard is lovely - funny, historically true to its time, exciting action, and good continuing characters.
If you like the blood-and-battle stuff, Bernard Cornwell is as good as it gets. It's more battle-centric and action-heavy, but he has wonderful poetic prose and great character development; I'd probably start with "The Last Kingdom" as the first of his Viking series.
Stephanie Thornton: kickass women of the ancient world. Start with "The Tiger Queens," about the women of Gengis Khan.
I could go on all day! Hopefully that's enough to start with.
A good comprehensive (if you haven't read it) is my Pompeii release of a month ago, "A Day of Fire" - it was co-written with five other authors as a series of interlinked novellas around the last days of Pompeii, so it serves as a good introduction to their styles to see if you want to look up the other things they've written. Ben Kane writes ancient Roman blood-and-battle books; Stephanie Dray has a trilogy on Cleopatra's daughter; Vicky Alvear Shecter has several wonderful YA HF novels; E. Knight has two Tudor novels; Sophie Perinot has a novel of medieval France and England. These authors are all friends, but I can recommend their work without hesitation, or I wouldn't have partnered up with them. Try "A Day of Fire," and it should tell you if their style appeals to you.
As for the authors I do NOT know who I find inspiring, I'd start with Judith Merkle Riley - she was my idol as far as being able to make historical fiction funny, dramatic, action-packed, and romantic. She has six or seven books, all wonderful. My favorite is probably "The Oracle Glass."
Elizabeth Loupas is one of the best currently-writing HF novelists out there right now; three books and counting (two on Renaissance Italy, one with Mary Queen of Scots). All superb.
If you like historical mysteries, the Fiona Buckley series around Elizabethan female sleuth Ursula Blanchard is lovely - funny, historically true to its time, exciting action, and good continuing characters.
If you like the blood-and-battle stuff, Bernard Cornwell is as good as it gets. It's more battle-centric and action-heavy, but he has wonderful poetic prose and great character development; I'd probably start with "The Last Kingdom" as the first of his Viking series.
Stephanie Thornton: kickass women of the ancient world. Start with "The Tiger Queens," about the women of Gengis Khan.
I could go on all day! Hopefully that's enough to start with.
More Answered Questions
Judy Wallace
asked
Kate Quinn:
Hi Kate. I loved your Borgia and Roman series; I'm now reading THE ALICE NETWORK-so good. I love how you treat historical writing. I know that you've done meticulous research in such detail that I feel like I've been there when I've finished one your historical fictions. Have you ever considered Russian history? I am fascinated with the last Tsar and what happened to his family. You would blow us away!
Shandy
asked
Kate Quinn:
So, if you were an Empress of Rome superfan who had 24 hours in Rome during an upcoming trip, which site(s) would you make a point of visiting? Any favorite characters' favorite haunts you might suggest? :) (I'm trying to think about what I can leave out of my suitcase so that I can bring along all four books for a re-read...)
Lesley Moseley
asked
Kate Quinn:
A small criticism one reviewer had was the authenticity of the language in that timeline : ie 1947 Charlie saying : "when a young woman in 1947 says "nice wheels" in reference to a car. And then back in 1915, writing about Folkestone and the refugees there, we are told that "more French and Belgian (was) heard on the docks than English". Belgian is a language?"... I also found 'baby blues' a surprise. Research ?
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